it be to the king as supreme, or to governors as to them who are sent by him, for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well. What St. Paul saith is ordained of God, that is, in general, as civil government or civil powers, St. Peter calls the ordinance of man, that is, in particular, as to the several forms of this government which men agree upon, or appoint: And indeed God has left it to men to agree upon, and appoint the particular forms: And so far as any of them pursue and attain this end, they must be submitted to, and supported, as an appointment or ordinance both of God and man.

VIII. Though civil government is an ordinance of God, and appointed by him according to the light of reason, and is thus far supported by divine revelation, yet in its proper aims and designs it hath no direct reach nor authority beyond the benefit of men in this world: Nor do the things of religion, nor the affairs of a future state come within its cognizance, any further than they have a most evident reference to the natural and civil welfare of men in the present life: It was only for the security of their natural and civil interests and rights, that men at first joined themselves in civil societies, and not that their governors should chuse their religion for them. Government itself is a necessary thing in this world, and a natural or moral institution of God among persons of all sorts of religion, whether heathens, turks, or christians, to preserve them in present peace: Nor do any of these religions alter the nature of civil government*.

IX. Whereas if civil government did properly extend its authority to religion and the things of a future happiness, no government or governors could be said to be appointed of God who are of a false religion; and those only who know and teach, and promote the true religion, and lead people in a right way to this future happiness, could be of God's appointment; even as no government extending to civil things can be said to be of God any further than it tends to promote the civil peace and welfare. But if such an unreasonable and absurd opinion as this were allowed, viz. that the appointment of true religion belongs to the civil government, and there is but one true religion, it would cut off civil government from being an appointment of God among all the nations of the earth, and in all ages of the world who had lost the true religion; and all those nations and ages would be left to everlasting anarchy and confusion, till God brought the true religion among them.

*What exception must be made for the Jewish government, which was re. vealed to Moses, and was almost entirely divine, shall be taken notice of in its due place.

X. And on the other hand, if the authority of every civil government extended to direct the affairs of religion, and that by God's appointment; then every government would have a right to determine what shall be the religion of that society or nation; and by this means, as the true religion is professed by very few civil governments in comparison of the multitudes of false religions, there would be an obligation from God on the greatest part of mankind to submit to their governors when they enjoin a false religion, and receive, and practise it instead of the true, which is too absurd a thing to be supposed.

SECT. II.-The Necessity of acknowledging a God, and the Religion of an Oath.

I. Though religion, so far as it relates to the salvation of our souls and a future world of happiness, doth not come within the cognizance of civil government; yet as the affairs of men are situated in this world under all governments, there are several things relating to our civil welfare which seem to require the knowledge and profession of a God; as these four for instance: 1. Witnessing in controversies between two parties. 2. Information in criminal cases. 3. Security against secret plots and mischiefs from the people. 4. Guarding against oppression and injustice of the rulers. Let us consider each of these distinctly:

1. The case of "witnessing in controversies between twe contending parties requires the acknowledgment of a God." Partly through the ignorance of men, and partly through their evil inclinations, there will be controversies frequently arising among the people, which must be determined by the magistrate as a judge of right and wrong. Now in order to search into the truth of things, and the right of particular persons, it is not thought proper for the magistrate usually to give credit to any persons in their own cause, when there is no concurrent witness or witnesses who declare the same thing. And whereas witnesses in many disputes about property may justly be suspected to warp' from the truth through private influences, if there be no other person who can detect and discover them, therefore it is necessary they should have some knowledge, and make some profession of an invisible power who made and governs the world, who sees and hears and knows every thing which is done among men, and who is a guardian of justice and truth, and some time or other will terribly punish falsehood and lying.

2. "The case of information against criminals requires some profession of a God." Let it be considered, that whatsoever injuries or frauds, crimes or mischiefs, are practised or committed in any nation under these governments, they cannot

be punished till these magistrates who are executors of the laws, are informed of them; nor can such informers at all times be safely credited, because they may have no regard to truth in themselves, or they may be swayed by some evil bias, unless they have some knowledge or belief and reverence of a higher power who knows all truth, and will avenge falsehood.

3. "To secure a state against secret plots and mischievous designs of the people requires the profession of a divine Being. There are many frauds, and plots, and secret evil practices which tend to the injury of mankind, to the ruin of all government and peace in a nation, and yet they cannot perhaps be found out by the eyes of men soon enough to prevent the mischief intended. Therefore the belief and awful sense of some allknowing and over-ruling power is needful to guard the evil minds of men against contriving these secret mischievous practices, and the profession of this belief is a necessary band of common union and safety.

4. "The acknowledgment of a God is necessary to guard officers and rulers from oppressing the people." Magistrates or officers themselves may be easily inclined or tempted to neglect their duty to the people, they may be bribed or frightened to pass wicked and unjust judgments on men, or to commit grievous outrages and acts of violence upon them, if they have no knowledge nor belief of any superior power who rules the world, and will punish unfaithfulness, injustice, violence, oppression and falsehood in all ranks of his creatures, whether high, or low, rich or poor.

II. In order therefore to a peaceful and successful govern ment, and to the preservation of every man in his rights and liberties, it is necessary that both the governors and the subjects should acknowledge some God, that is, some superior invisible power who governs the world, who knows all secret things, and will punish those crimes or those acts of injustice or falsehood, either in the governor or the governed, which violate the common welfare of mankind, and which are committed in secret. Whatever some witty persons have pretended, that a kingdom or state of atheists may be supported without any regard to a God or religion, it has huge and dreadful inconveniences attending it, considering the wicked and perverse tempers and manners of men.

III. Now to secure a civil government in the execution of its proper designs, to secure the mutual fidelity of subjects and their governors, and to secure the truth of witnesses in matters of controversy, and in informations brought against any criminals, the bond of an oath is the ultimate resort of men: For an oath is a solemn appeal to a God, concerning the truth of what they declare; it is an appeal to some superior and invisible VOL. IV.

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power, who will avenge falsehood and perjury wheresoever it is practised, though it should not or could not be found out by the search of men.

And let it be observed that an oath or an appeal to God concerning truth always implies in it, that we hope for a blessing from this God upon our fidelity, if we speak the truth; but that we imprecate the vengeance of this God to fall upon us, if we knowingly speak what is false, or act contrary to our covenants or engagements.

IV. I would fain have it observed also yet further that it will be a much more effectual means to secure mankind from perjury, and from every degree of falsehood or violation of an oath, if the oath were always administered by the magistrate with the utmost solemnity, and if the words in which an oath is formed did express the imprecation or curse upon falsehood strongly and terribly, rather than if it expressed only the blessing upon truth and faithfulness. And I have often thought that one reason why there is so much perjury in our nation, and the religion of an oath has so little force upon the consciences of men, is because in our common form, "So help me God," the blessing only is expressed, and the curse is concealed and only implied at a distance; so that very few who take the oath have such an awful sense of their transactions with an almighty avenging power at such a season as they ought to have, for want of the plainer appearance of the imprecation, as well as for want of greater solemnity in the manner of administering and taking the oath. I well remember in former years a gentleman, who was a justice of peace in the country, informed me that ignorant people would easily be persuaded by their neighbours to go to take their oath before him concerning particular facts, when they would not be persuaded to assert the same thing boldly with some terrible imprecation themselves, of broken or withered limbs, if they did not utter the truth.

V. Upon the whole it is necessary, that the governors and governed should acknowledge and profess their belief and veneration of a God, that is, of some superior and invisible power who will punish perjury and violence and secret crimes against the welfare of mankind. And it seems a most proper and agreeable, if not a necessary thing, that each should be bound to the other, that is, the governors to the people, and the people to the governors by the solemnity of an oath, to fulfil their mutual duties and engagements of protection and obedience. In Great Britain the kings are engaged hereto by their coronation-oath, and the people by the oath of allegiance. The coronation-oath obliges the king to grant and keep and confirm to his people the laws and customs, &c. and also, to his power, to cause law, jus

tice and discretion in mercy and truth to be executed in all his judgments. The oath of allegiance obliges the people to support the king in all his just rights and powers, so far as he can, doth, and will protect his subjects in their just rights and properties. It is evidently a mutual contract, and both are bound to each other by this solemnity of an oath.

VI. It seems to me also very proper, that the outward ceremony or action which is used in swearing, whether it be lifting up the hand, or kissing the book, &c. be publicly and authoritatively declared, not to be designed as a religious ceremony, whereby we pay our invented honours to God in the act of swearing, but that it is used only as a civil gesture or sign, whereby we testify to the world that we do call God to witness to the truth of that we speak. Hereby we shall secure many scrupulous persons from the fear of taking an oath with that sign, lest they should thereby worship the great God by ceremonies invented by men, which many good subjects have thought unlawful. Or if they do still really and in conscience scruple any particular gesture or outward sign, or ceremony, their oath expressed in full and strong language should be taken without it.

VII. If any particular persons of known sobriety should declare solemnly, that from a principle of conscience they scruple the form of an oath or a solemn appeal to God concerning the truth, I think they are bound to give some proper satisfaction to the government, that the form of words which they' use in witnessing, in affirmations or promises, &c. shall be deemed in all respects equal to the obligation of an oath, viz. that their consciences are equally bound by it before God, and that they shall incur the sanie penalties among men by the violation thereof. This will relieve the people that are called Quakers, who will not take any oath: And indeed without some such security no person is fit to enjoy the privileges of civil government, nor to be a member of any state, who refuses to bind his truth by an oath.

VIII. And therefore if there be any person who thinks and believes that the obligation arising from an oath, or from such a solemn affirmation made before the civil powers, may be dissolved and nullified by any other power upon earth, such a person may be lawfully excluded from becoming a member of the state, or enjoying any of the privileges thereof; unless he can find some way or other that shall be justly satisfactory to the state, concerning his truth or fidelity to his neighbours and his governors. For where one party cannot or will not effectually oblige themselves to allegiance and fidelity, the other party is not bound to afford them civil protection and the privileges of the government. How far the papists are concerned in